3 NL trade destinations for KC Royals' Scott Barlow.

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The KC Royals already kicked off their MLB trade deadline when they traded veteran reliever Aroldis Chapman to the Texas Rangers. The trade return in that deal for pitcher Cole Ragans and outfielder Roni Cabrera was very straightforward. Ragans, a player who can help the Royals now, has already made his debut with the team. Meanwhile, the 17-year-old Cabrera is raking in the Dominican Summer League and could be a legit prospect in the coming years. The Royals should be targeting returns involving such players more as the trade deadline goes along. Another trade chip they can use to acquire more MLB-ready talent or lottery tickets is certainly pitcher Scott Barlow.

Where could the KC Royals move Scott Barlow ahead of the trade deadline?

Barlow, a former Los Angeles Dodgers prospect, signed as a minor-league free agent with the Royals in 2017. He made his MLB debut with the club the following season, and the rest is history. Between his longevity and elite production, Barlow is the most notable Royals reliever since the Herrera-Davis-Holland days. He peaked in the 2021 season, recording a 2.63 FIP and 2.1 WAR, which are both career bests for him.

Ever since that season, Barlow has been a perennial trade candidate. His production in 2022 and 2023 pales in comparison to the previous season, but he is a reliable right out of the bullpen. Any contender can use a player fitting that profile. Since it is that time of year, what teams could trade for Barlow ahead of their postseason push?

Honorable Mentions: San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins

Los Angeles Dodgers

In life, maturing means realizing how good the Los Angeles Dodgers are at everything regarding baseball. They were the National League's villains until the Houston Astros scandal, and they have never stopped competing since. Fans expected the Dodgers to take a relative step back this season after shedding payroll and being quiet in free agency. Los Angeles is not the NL's best team this year, but there are still likely postseason contenders and they currently lead the NL West with a 57-40 record.

The Dodgers have not been very active on the trade front yet, and there are several directions to go. Can they pry superstar Shohei Ohtani away from the Los Angeles Angels? Maybe, but that is mortgaging the present and future. How much do they need outfield help, especially adding a righty there? A good bit, but not nearly as much as they need pitching help. The Dodgers bullpen has worked the eighth-most innings this season because of some shaky starters.

The Dodgers could absolutely add a starter at the deadline. Los Angeles may look to another AL Central team for starting help, but Barlow would offer help in the bullpen. Barlow is dominant against right-handed batters, an aspect the Dodgers struggle in. Barlow allows a .169 BA with 29 strikeouts against righties, good for a 34 sOPS+. Meanwhile, the Dodgers' right-handed pitchers allow a .247 BA and a 98 sOPS+ against the same group of batters. That is a night-and-day difference right there, even if it only lasts an inning.

Believe it or not, Barlow is also much better with runners in scoring position. Dodgers pitchers allow a .836 OPS with runners in scoring position, compared to Barlow's .782 in the same position. Barlow may not be the closeout man for the Dodgers, but he would still be great in setup or in a platoon setting.

There is something poetic about Barlow returning to the Dodgers in a triumphant way after the organization released him years ago. The best way for that story to end is with Barlow being on a competitive team for the first time in his career and with real championship aspirations.

Milwaukee Brewers

Moving from the coast to the north, the Milwaukee Brewers are on top of a crazy NL Central and poised to be economic buyers at the deadline. Many had the St. Louis Cardinals as their preseason picks to win that division, but the Cardinals are suffering from the "everything is going wrong" bug, and that division is wide open. The Cincinnati Reds are one hot streak away from overtaking the Brewers, and every NL Central team has at least 43 wins this year, making it one of only two divisions to reach that mark. The Brewers need to prepare for the season's second half, rather than looking straight ahead to the postseason.

In a cruel twist of faith, Joel Payamps is one of the Brewers best relievers, posting a 3.07 FIP in 46 1/3 innings this season. The team also has Devin Williams, coming off his second consecutive All-Star selection. Elvis Peguero and Bryse Wilson look solid in the box score but are far from perfect this year. The Brewers' bullpen feels extremely shallow this season, filled with castoffs from around MLB. It is not a terrible roster construction approach, but they were castoffs for a reason. This puts some more pressure on each starter in a rotation that features several average guys behind Corbin Burnes.

The Brewers have not been an all-in franchise as of late, preferring more economical moves. There are no needs that they cannot address with low-level moves or with the addition of Sal Frelick. There are plenty of bats the Brewers could use to address a below-average offense, but they need to add a specific player in the bullpen. They need to add a known commodity—a player that has been performing well for years, not just for a short period of time. Plus, getting an arm with some remaining contractual control would be nice. Barlow would fit this profile, giving the Brewers another year of control via arbitration.

This could just be me trying to manifest the Royals trading with the Brewers during this period. There are several intriguing players, such as pitchers Abner Uribe and Justin Jarvis, that could help the Royals. It is hard to ignore how well Barlow would fit in Milwaukee, though.

Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds are nipping at the Brewers' heels, but it remains to be seen how aggressive the Reds will be ahead of the 2023 trade deadline. If they lean more aggressively, Barlow would help a volatile bullpen, and a hurt one at that.

The Reds bullpen features several arms, including Nick Lodolo, on the 60-day IL as the postseason push starts. Sure, closer Alexis Diaz is a great guy in save situations, but he has barely 100 MLB innings under his belt and no postseason experience. I was surprised to learn that only one of the Reds' notable bullpen members has postseason experience. Lucas Sims has some from the 2020 postseason, but 2 2/3 innings is hardly anything to hang a hat upon.

Barlow doesn't either, but he at least has high-leverage situational experience. He would be the third-best Reds bullpen pitcher, including Diaz, with RISP. It is a bullpen already full of righties, but hey, they all produce in their own ways. Alex Young is a dependable lefty in the bullpen, leaving room for improvement among the right-handed pitchers.

The Reds are a tweener ahead of the trade deadline. They are a cold stretch away from the postseason and a hot one away from a divisional crown. It is a tough predicament, but trading for Barlow would tell the league that Cincinnati is making a postseason push. The Reds still have a very strong farm system after shortstop Elly De La Vruz graduates in the coming days. They could dip into that deep prospect pool, send out some top 30 prospects to make adjustments in the margins of error, and hope the young core stays hot. MLB fans will not have to wait much longer for buyers to separate themselves from the sellers, though.

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